The Population Debate: The Optimum Size
By Dr Wong Wee Nam
06 February 2013
It is not true that the more people we have, the better the economy and the better the standard of living will be for all of us. On the contrary, apart from all the ills of over-population, the denser the city, the higher the cost of housing and taxes. The more buildings there are, the more likely they will block our views, our light and our air.
So what is the optimum size? In The Next Lap, published by the Singapore Government in 1993, it was recommended that “…with careful use of land, we can comfortably house 4 million people.”
The Population Debate: What are we bequeathing to our children?
By Dr Wong Wee Nam
04 February 2013
If a target of 6.9 million people is what the government hopes to achieve, it is not an exaggeration to say that in 2030, Singapore will become a marketplace where sojourners come when the times are good to ply their trade and make their money. But it will no longer be a home where citizens live and strive to develop it into a better place for their children. With all the over-crowding and Singaporeans becoming an obvious minority in their own country, there will not be many true-blooded Singaporeans left who are willing to die for their country and defend it against all external threats. It will no longer be a home. It will no longer be a country. It will just become purely a business centre.
In the recently published Population White Paper, one of the pillars for a sustainable population for a dynamic Singapore is for Singaporeans to form the core and heart of Singapore. It is argued that by increasing the fertility rate and importing immigrants in large numbers, we will be able to the achieve this. Unfortunately, this is not so.
The population crisis: A closer look at GDP growth and our carrying capacity
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Written by Ng E-Jay
01 February 2013
The recently released White Paper on population has caused a furore nationwide. People cannot believe the government thinks it wise to cram 6.9 million people into an island already suffering from severe congestion and overcrowding. People cannot accept that the desire for economic growth alone justifies such a policy. Surely there must be another way, an alternative solution.
This is the first of a series of short articles I will write on the population issue facing Singapore. This first article will take a closer look at GDP growth as the government’s rationale for raising the population to 6.9 million, and relate it to the carrying capacity of our country.
A Victory of the People
By Dr Patrick Kee
29 January 2013
The people of Punggol East have given democracy a big boost in Singapore. Their vote was not a vote against the government but a vote for a government of the people, by the people and for the people. We need to remember that the opposition is as much a part of the government as well as the party in power.
The results of the Punggol East by-election is a wake-up call to all political parties. The Reform Party and the SDA provided the opportunity for the people of Punggol East to demonstrate their political maturity. Unfortunately they were both struck down by the hammer and lightning and lost their pants! Their unfortunate loss should be seen as the sacrifice to showcase the wisdom of the residents of Punggol East. The SDP very wisely listened to the voice of the people and did not fall for the bait of the PAP.
Why the PAP lost so badly in the Punggol East by-election
Filed under: Current Affairs and Politics, Dr Wong Wee Nam
By Dr Wong Wee Nam
28 January 2013
The results of the Punggol East by-election surprised everyone. People expected a very close fight. No one expected PAP, by its own standards, to be thrashed by such a wide margin. Even the professional forecasters who make a living offering odds thought that the PAP was going to win by 1000 votes.
What then went wrong?
When Michael Palmer resigned his seat, the Prime Minister saw no urgency to call for a by-election. He said that there were some national issues to be settled first. On hindsight, perhaps he should have stuck to this initial intention. Unfortunately he did not.
Why WP is quick to caution voters about extrapolating Punggol East results
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Written by Ng E-Jay
27 January 2013
The Worker’s Party is clearly unprepared for a win of this magnitude, and wants to emphasize to voters that it will not try to bite off more than what it can chew. This is seen by WP Sec-Gen Mr Low Thia Khiang’s statement on Sunday that “people should not read too much into the Punggol East by-election results”.
“You can’t take the by-election result as one that is going to be the trend in the future,” Mr Low told reporters before the party’s victory parade.
A watershed by-election for WP and the long road ahead
(EDITORIAL POLICY: This article may NOT be reproduced on any blog or website, but link-backs or SNIPPETS with FULL attribution to this site are okay.)
Written by Ng E-Jay
27 January 2013
The decisive victory of the Worker’s Party (WP) in the 2013 Punggol East by-election shows that the ground has shifted decisively against the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP). How else would you explain the incredible 10% vote margin that Ms Lee Li Lian scored against her PAP opponent, Dr Koh Poh Koon?
Ms Lee’s electoral score almost mirrors that of WP’s Aljunied Team in the 2011 general elections. In Aljunied GRC, WP had fielded what was widely touted to be its “A” team — the cream of the crop in WP which included no less than the party Sec-Gen as well as the party Chairman — Mr Low Thia Khiang and Ms Sylvia Lim respectively.
WP wins Punggol East by-election with 53.76% of the total votes cast
In terms of VALID votes, WP got 54.5%.
Lee Li Lian’s Note to Voters of Punggol East before Polling Day
Dearest voters of Punggol East and fellow Singaporeans,
The 9-day campaign period for this by-election ends tonight. What an amazing few days it has been! I have had the pleasure and honour of walking the ground in this time, meeting you and hearing your concerns. Punggol East is not new to me – it seems like just yesterday that I was campaigning for the General Election in 2011, and it’s heart-warming to see so many familiar smiling faces as well as new ones.
I have met with many young families with many valid concerns. They worry about the competition their children face in our rigorous education system, and about the costs of raising children right from when they are born, all the way till university. They feel the stress of having to wait in long queues to get their children into a good childcare centre that is near their homes. They wonder if they will be able to pay off their housing loans, cover their parents’ medical bills and give their children the best, all at the same time.
Vote for WP, Vote for Lee Li Lian
Filed under: Current Affairs and Politics, Media articles
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